The New Democrats

Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison/Tyler, Polk, Taylor/Fillmore, Pierce,

Buchanan1829-1861

Andrew Jackson1829-1837

Jackson

• Hero to common man

• Return to Jefferson

• Cheap land

• By 1833 all eastern Indians west of MS R.– Except Cherokees

• Opposed internal improvements– Eliminated debt

The Tariff Controversy

• Modest reduction

• SC threatens nullification

• Jackson threatens force & gets tariff lowered – SC backs down

• Precedent – force against states defying federal authority

Bank War

• Privilege attacked

• Bank symbol for unfairness (monster)

• “pet banks”– Flood of paper money– Speculative boom

• 1832 reelected w/54% of vote– Beat Clay

Jackson

• Aggressive – pushed congress

• Peoples champion

• The Veto

• “spoils system”

• Chief Justice Taney replaced Marshall

Legacy

• Extends freedom & opportunity

• Common man now included

•

• Democratic Party

Democrat Contradiction

• Party of states rights, slaveholders, & individual freedom

Martin Van Buren1837-1841

1836 Election

• VB defeats 3 Whigs– Adams-Clay Nat. Rep. Party– Anti-Jackson abuses

• Public convinced nation going in right direction

Problems

• Texas issue• Trail of Tears (4000 die)• Panic of 1837

– Easy money = get rich quick speculative boom

– Deep depression– Cotton fell 50%, banks suspend specie

payments– Unemployed protest

• Independent Treasury est.– Gov’t $ buried in subtreasuries

• Public lost trust in Jackson’s banking system

• Huge opportunity for opposition party

Whig Party Take Over

• 1840 Harrison easily defeats Van Buren– Colorful campaign– Democratic defeat will not end Jackson

paradigm– Dies in 30 days

• John Tyler former Democrat– Betrayed Whig economic program– Stole victory from Whigs

Democrats Back

• 1844 Polk defeats Clay in close election

• Program– Expansion - TX, CA, OR– Reduce tariff– Ind. Treas.

• 1 term promise

James K. Polk1845-1849

Achievements

• OR Terr.

• Mexican War– Easy victory– CA & southwest– Gen. Zachary Taylor a hero

• Reduced tariff

• Ind. Treas.

• Why were Dems. not rewarded

The Wilmot Proviso

• New terr. threatens sectional balance

• Northern Dems betrayed by pro-South tilt of party

• 1846 Sen. Wilmot antislavery

• Bill would ban slavery from new terr.

• Not just about slavery– economics & politics

Northern View

• South blocking nations industrial development– Protective tariff– RR subsidies

• More slave states make it worse

Southern View

• North attracting immigrant wage earners

• Urban centers

• Controlling credit & investment $

• Fear becoming second class colony to tyrannical North

• Must expand slavery west

12 Year Struggle

• Sectional conflict

• Slavery the topic

• Economics & political power

Election 1848

• Free Soil Party “Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men” – Took 10% of vote– “conscience” Democrats

• Taylor defeats Cass

• Whigs gain WH

• Taylor dies

• Fillmore pres.

Millard Fillmore1850-1853

Compromise of 1850

• Fate of slavery in new territories

• Great senate debates

• Henry Clay & Stephen Douglas

• Terms– North got CA & DC slave trade abolished– South pop. sov. in NM & UT. & fugitive slave

law– Did not repeal MO Compromise

Uncertain Future

• RR growth & CA gold = best economy since Panic 1837

• Abolitionism growing in NE

• Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe– 1850’s 300,000 copies

Franklin Pierce1853-1857

Democrats Return to WH

• 1852 slavery issue settled

• Pierce schemes to add Cuba

• Far West RR– Jefferson Davis South route (easier)– Stephen Douglas North route

• 1854 KS-NE Act– Pop. Sov.– Repealed MO Compromise

Tension Builds

• Civil war in Kansas

• Both sides send supporters

Republicans

• antislavery

• Ex-Free Soilers & “conscience” Dems

• All North & no compromise w/ South

• Business policies – High tariffs & internal improvements– Federalist/Whig

Election 1856

• “bleeding Kansas”

• Dems pick Buchanan

• Whigs break up

• Republicans pick Fremont

• “Know Nothing” Party pick Fillmore

Results

• Know-Nothings – 22%

• Buchanan Dems – 45%

• Republican 11 of 16 free states

• South knows abolitionists going to be a problem

James Buchanan1857-1861

Disaster to Disaster

• Dred Scott Case– Taney Court– Slavery legal in every terr.– North outraged

Kansas

• Proposed slave state– Rigged– North outraged

• Douglas leads attack– MN & OR added free– KS denied

Buchanan

• Dominated by South

• Interests of N & W ignored

• Trying to pacify South– Cuba?– Mexico?

John Brown

• Raid on Harpers Ferry, VA

•

• Celebrated in North – martyr

• South stunned by North response

Panic of 1857

• Deep depression

• Cotton prices soared this time

• South emboldened by economic power

1850’s Excess of Democracy

• Changes in society, economy, frontier produced excess of individualism

• General rejection of traditional political authority & solutions

• Any attempt to curb individual behavior was undemocratic

• “Mob rule” – Federalist greatest fear

Election 1860

• Abe Lincoln (R)– Obscure– Against spread of slavery– Pro expanding industry

• Stephen Douglas (D-North)– Powerful senator

• John Breckinridge (D-South)– Southern Dems split from North

Republicans

• Exploited key contradiction in Dem– Individual freedom & slavery

• Jefferson freedom w/ Hamilton’s economics

• Promised free homesteads

• Big party for all - except slavery

• No room for credible opposition

Republican Victory

• Lincoln 40%

• North finally in charge

• No sympathy for South

• South facing permanent minority status

• SC & 10 others bolt from Union

• Jackson paradigm split in two rival armies

• Civil War

Was It Just About Slavery?

• Fight over the future

• Wealth & power shifting North

• Railroads replacing cotton as key to economy

• 18 free vs. 15 slave states

• Way of life (soil vs. industry & transportation)

• Slavery tool crush the South

Summary

• 32 years• Return to Jefferson• Expand democracy• Fought privilege & helped common man• Extended frontier for ordinary people• Removed Indians• End national bank, lowered tariffs, cut fed

spending• Dems dominate all three branches of govt